Bali To Relocate Wild Monkeys Away From Popular Tourist Attraction

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Uluwatu Temple in Bali is an incredibly popular tourist destination. Perched on top of the iconic clifftops of the Bukit Peninsula, the temple has become as famous with tourists for its cultural significance and impressive views as it is for its resident troop of wild monkeys. 

The monkeys at Uluwatu Temple are world-famous, for good and bad reasons. The wild long-tailed macaque monkeys can be found around the island, and the troops living close to Uluwatu Temple have become increasingly desensitized to humans.

This has brought benefits and problems for both humans and primates. For humans, the monkeys’ familiarity with people’s presence means that it is easy to observe these wild animals up close.

Living in close proximity to a human population has given the monkeys access to new sources of food. 

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However, the problems have been notable for both parties. On many occasions, tourists have come too close to the monkeys, disrespected their wild nature, and tried to interact with them.

For humans, the monkeys have become increasingly confident, some may say even brazen, and have become famous around the world for stealing tourists’ belongings; everything from sunglasses to phones, wallets to keys.

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While the monkeys ‘stealing’ people’s belongings may seem endearing at first, the implications for the monkey’s health and well-being are serious. The monkeys are not playful when they take items from people, they have cleverly realized that in taking items like phones, sunglasses, and keys they will be bribed with food until they let the said items go. They are also naturally curious creatures. 

The resident troop of monkeys at Uluwatu Temple has temporarily been relocated to the east side of the temple complex, away from the main temple area and the main tourist attraction area of the sacred grounds. The monkeys have been relaxed in a forested area close to the new parking lot at Uluwatu Temple. 

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The Uluwatu Temple Management team and the Pecatu Traditional Village team made the decision to help ensure public safety and the well-being of the monkeys. The monkeys have moved ahead of the Piodolan ceremonies, which will be held at Ulutwatu Temple until 16 May 2025. 

The Head of Pecatu Made Sumerta told reporters that one reason the monkeys were moved ahead of the Pujawali offerings for the Pidoloan ceremonies at Uluwatu Temple is the large amount of fruit and food that worshippers leave at the temple as offerings.

He explained “We evacuated the monkeys to the east, in the new parking lot. We give them bait or food there so that they do not disturb the pamedek who go to the temple.”

He confirmed that local pecalang security teams and temple management staff steadily bribed the troop of monkeys through the temple complex using fruit, before feeding them once again in their new home. 

Sumerta gave his assurances to the public that the relocation of the monkeys was not a means of removing them from the temple grounds altogether. He noted “We are very committed to the existence of these monkeys. They are part of the [natural wonders] that have been proven to provide added value to Uluwatu.”

Over the last six months, the monkeys of Uluwatu have been a major concern for local community members.

Many community members have raised concerns that the new Uluwatu Sea Wall Project impacted the monkeys’ natural habitat and nesting area when land was cleared to build the access road to the construction site.

Now that the Uluwatu Sea Wall Project is completed, leaders have confirmed that a replanting project will soon be underway to reforest the cleared area. The reforestation efforts will prioritize plants and trees that provide habitat to the monkeys.